NAIROBI, Kenya October 19 -Health Cabinet Secretary nominee Susan Nakhumicha has opined that given the lift on the Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) ban the government should empower the Pharmacy and Poisons board to enable it regulate the sector.
During her vetting before the National Assembly committee on appointment, Nakhumicha pointed out that the board should be upscaled to regulates food and drugs just like in the United States in the case of the Food and Drug Authority board.
“When the Pharmacy and Poison board are scaled up to the level of the Foods and Drug Authority board then they should be looking into the GMOs and be able to tell us on which way to go,” she said.
The health nominee who confessed to be a staunch catholic admitted that indeed the issue of GMOs has elicited a myriad of reactions among various stakeholders.
“The issue around GMO foods will have a lot of conversation following the lift of the ban by President William Ruto,” Nakhumicha stated.
Already, Azimio La Umoja – One Kenya had called on President William Ruto to re-impose the ban.
While citing a lack of public participation, Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka stated that should President Ruto fail to do so, Azimio will seek redress in the National Assembly.
“On such a weighty matter especially as concerns food security, there should have been nationwide discourse through public engagement, education, and participation. The government did not engage in public participation,” he said.
He appealed to the President to reconsider his stand re-introduction of GMOs saying the initiative is not a sustainable solution to reduce food shortage and it will have diverse health effects on Kenyans.
The ban on genetically modified crops imposed in 2012 during President Mwai Kibaki’s regime was due to the threat they posed to the livelihoods of small-scale farmers and the health of Kenyans.
“It is therefore important that we demystify the impacts of GMOs and expose their propensity to be an existential threat to the biodiversity we pride in as a country and our health,” Musyoka stated.
The Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Principal further called out the Church on their silence following the lifting of the GMO ban yet they were among vibrant crusaders who called for the effecting of the ban in 2012.
“Could it be that they have been pacified by this new administration and blinded to the moral and ethical question around GMOs that go against the 4 orders of nature? We urge our religious leaders and faith-based organizations not to sell their souls,” he posed.
The ban on GMO imports was enforced in 2012 following a presidential decree by the late former President Mwai Kibaki.
The decree followed recommendations by the then Minister for Public Health Beth Mugo who cited a study by a French University that linked cancer in rats to the consumption of GMO foods.
Nakhumicha had earlier vowed to be ruthless with the cartels in the cabinet docket that have proved to be insurmountable for her predecessors, if approved.
She told MPs during her vetting before the committee for appointment that she has had experience dealing with cartels on a small scale in the supply chain management in the health sector.
“I am looking like I am too weak to handle the cartels but I would like to assure that this are people I have worked with just on a small scale but now it will be on a national scale,” she said.
The health nominee outlined that already she’s armed with a strategy which involves two thronged approaches of process alongside procedure and rules alongside regulation.
“I am very sure we will break the cartels but I will seek support of members through bills and acts because if health is working even the health of those cartels is taken care of,” Nakhumicha stated.
The Ministry of Health has been bedeviled with corruption scandals close to every financial year which include the KEMSA scandal, mobile clinics scandals among others.
Nakhumicha is also worth Sh101 Million in revelations made in her wealth declaration form before the National Assembly Appointment Committee.
Nakhumicha’s wealth is mostly a summation of immovable assets which include parcel of lands in different part of the country and rental apartments.
“My net worth of a town house and rental apartments in Syokimau.I have land in Kangundo, Bungoma, Transnzoia, Kakamega and shares and deposits in Waumini and UN women.I have dividends from Cooperative Bank of Kenya,” she said.
Her political ambitions have seen her attempt for the Trans-Nzoia woman representative seat in 2022 but emerged third.
Currently, she is the Ford-Kenya party national vice chairperson for the women, youth and children docket.
